Old World Swallowtail [Papilio machaon]

Comparison of the chess pieces in the Italian Insects Chess Set and Board (c 1790) to the actual specimens of the white Queen, the Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), and the white King, the Chinese Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius), reveals how accurate the artisans were at depicting their subjects.

This specimen was loaned to the World Chess Hall of Fame by the Field Museum of Natural History.